Construction devices for holding flat plates of decorative material within a framework

ABSTRACT

A DECORATIVE CONSTRUCTION DEVICE FOR HOLDING A PLURALITY OF FLAT PLATES OF DECORATIVE MATERIAL WITHIN A FRAMEWORK BEYOND WHICH THE EDGES OF THE PLATES EXTEND. CONNECTING LINKS ENGAGE THE FRAMEWORK AND RETAIN THE SAME TOGETHER SO THAT WHEN ASSEMBLED, THE DEVICE CAN BE BENT INTO ANY DESIRED SHAPE.

Feb. 16, 1971 .VIDAN 3,563,834

' CONSTRUCTION DEVI FOR HOLD FLAT PLATES OF DECORATI VE MATERIAL WITHI FRAMEWORK Filed June 9, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 5.

INVENTOR v ACHMAN VIDAN 5644/ .WTORNEYS Feb. 16, 1971 N VIDAN 3,563,834

CONSTRUCT DE ES FOR HOLDING FLAT PLATES 0F DECOR VE A ERIAL WITHIN A FRAMEWORK Filed June 9, 1969 2, Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR NACHMAN VIDAN 1 WORM United States Patent Int. Cl. E32b 3/10 U.S. Cl. 161-37 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A decorative construction device for holding a plurality of fiat plates of decorative material within a framework beyond which the edges of the plates extend. Connecting links engage the framework and retain the same together so that when assembled, the device can be bent into any desired shape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to decorative construction devices and more particularly to a framework for holding a plurality of flat plates for use as wall panels, room dividers, lamps, lamp shades and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a decorative construction device for the purpose aforesaid, which device combines plates of regular geometric shapes of glass, plastics, ceramics and the like in a decorative manner without damaging the plates themselves by the attachment of connecting means.

It is a further object of the invention to make the decorative device consisting of said plates and their connecting means in such a way that they are adapted to be bent, when assembled, into various shapes, e.g. into a sphere, into the shape of a bulb, into cylinders or hollow cones, which shapes are then particularly adapted to serve as lamps, lamp shades or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention consists in a decoratice construction device for room dividers, Wall panels, lamp shades and the like comprising a plurality of small plates of glass, fiberglass, plastics, ceramics and the like rigid material of regular geometric shape, each plate being loosely held in a framework beyond which the edges of the plate project, the framework projecting beyond the edges of each plate at several positions, a connector link engaging said framework construction of adjacent plates at said projecting positions.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the framework for the decorative construction device comprises a flat frame of regular geometric shape, one frame being placed on the front and one on the back of said plate the frames being connected to each other by pins or the like at the positions at which they project beyond the edges of said plate, said connector link engaging the adjacent pins of adjacent plates.

According to another embodiment of the invention the framework comprises a plurality of narrow frame links whose width is greater than the thickness of the plates, said links straddling the edges of said plates, adjacent ends of said frame links which project beyond adjacent plates being engaged by said connector links.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the frame links may be open or closed.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, particularly for lamps and lampshades, the decorative construction device with the connecting means, when assembled, is bent into any desired shape. The shape may be substantially a sphere, a prolate 0r oblate, a hemisphere or it may be a cylinder or a hollow cane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front view partially broken away of one embodiment of the decorative construction device according to the invention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are views similar to FIG. 1 of further embodiments of the decorative construction device according to the invention.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are plan views of two embodiments of the frame link constructed according to the invention.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are fragmentary front views of further embodiments of the invention using the frame links of FIGS. 4 or 5.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are fragmentary front views similar to FIGS. 6 and 7 of still further embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The decorative construction device according to the invention is constituted as shown in FIGS. 1-3 by small squares plates 1 of rigid material such as glass, fiberglass, plastic, wood, ceramics or the like which are each held in a framework generally indicated by 2. As shown in FIG. 1 this framework comprises two square frames 3 of flat rigid material such as metal, plastic or the like which are placed against both flat sides of plate I in such a manner that the corners project beyond the edges of plate 1 and register with each other. These registering corners are interconnected by pins 4 in such a manner that a space is left between each pin and the juxtaposed edge of plate 1, and thereby the plate 1 is loosely held in the framework 2. The pins 4 of adjacent frameworks 2 are engaged by a connector link 5. This link may have any desired geometric profile, e.g. round, square, oblong, rectangular, and is of such dimension that the pins 4 are movable relative to it. This permits a plate 1 to assume an angular position relative the adjacent plate, or a row of plates so connected to assume an angular position relative to a row of adjacent plates. Thus in the position in which the plates 1 are all in one plane, the decorative material can be used as a room divider when mounted in a divider frame, or as a window or the like, while when the plates are in angular positions to each other the decorative material can be used for lamps, lamp shades or the like, depending on the material used for the plates.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 which also show square plates ll, framework 2 is constituted by frame links 6, 6a, respectively, which consist of elongated loops of metal, plastics or the like threaded loosely onto each corner of plate 1 so that the latter projects through each link 6. The frame links 6, shown in FIG. 4, are made of wire loops, for example, while the frame links 6a, shown in FIG. 5, are made of thin sections cut from a tubular member, both links being of slightly greater width than the thickness of plate 1 in order to permit the latter to be loosely held by the links. The ends of the frame links 6, 6a project beyond the edges of plate 1 and are held together and to the ends of frame links 6, 6a of adjacent plates 1 by means of connector links 7, 7a, respectively. These latter are closed links and open links, respectively, in order to facilitate their assembly together with open frame links 6 and closed frame links 6a, respectively. Links 6, 6a and 7, 7a may, of course, have any other suitable shape and profile than those described above.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, the decorative material according to the invention is constituted by circular plates 1a which are shown in FIG. 6 to be held in three frame links 6a threaded onto plates 1a and forming a triangular framework. Adjacent frame links 6a in this case are held together by an open annular connector link 7a. In this case links 6, 7 similar to those described with reference to FIG. 2 may also be used.

In FIG. 7, circular plates 1a are assembled to form the decorative material according to the invention, by means of four frame links in a similar manner as described with reference to FIGS. 2 or 3.

In FIG. 8, each triangular plate 111 is held between two flat triangular frames 31:, their apexes which extend beyond the edges of the plates 1b being connected to each other by pins 4 in a manner similar to that described with reference to FIG. 1. Connector links 7a, or any one of the other connector links above described engage the adjacent pins of adjacent frames 3a to assemble them to form the decorative material. In FIG. 9, circular plates la are connected in a manner similar to that described with reference to FIG. 8.

As stated above, any suitable material may be used to make the plates 1, 1a, 1b. Plates of two or more laminations of glass, with or without decorative designs in colors, bent metal or the like between said laminations have been found to have a particular decorative effect.

While the shape of the plates 1, 1a, 11) have been described as square, circular and triangular, they may have any other suitable regular geometric shape.

It can be seen that when the assembled decorative material above described is in the flattened condition, it can easily be transported. It can be bent in situ to adopt any desired shape, e.g. a sphere, a prolate or oblate, a cylinder and the like.

While the illustrated embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it is understood and envisioned that various changes and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What it is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Decorative construction device for covering panels comprising a plurality of frameworks, a plurality of plates of rigid material of regular geometric shape, each plate constructed and adapted to being loosely held in a respective framework beyond which the edges of the plate project, each framework projecting beyond the edges of each plate at several positions of the framework, and connector links coupling adjacent plates at said projectmg positions.

2. Decorative construction device as claimed in claim I, wherein each said framework comprises a flat frame of regular geometric shape, one frame being placed on the front and one on the back of each said plate, the frames being connected to each other by pins at the positions at which they project beyond the edges of said plate, said connector links engaging the adjacent pins of adjacent plates.

3. Decorative construction device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said framework comprises a plurality of narrow frame links whose width is greater than the thickness of the plates, said links straddling the edges of said plates, adjacent ends of said frame links which project beyond adjacent plates being engaged by said connector links.

4. Decorative construction device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said frame links are open links.

5. "Decorative construction device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said frame links are closed links.

6. Decorative construction device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connector links are open links.

7. Decorative construction device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connector links are closed links.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,139,512 12/1938 Nagorny 632 2,076,956 4/1937 Lowenstein l6l37 2,214,842 9/1940 Sweet et a1. 16137 2,372,520 3/1945 Rubin l6137 PHILIP DIER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

